Yesterday afternoon, busy as always, juggling a couple dozen projects at work, my mind going in a million directions, the phone rang and snapped me out of my dreamstate.
Rinnnggggg!
OK, who was calling?
I had made a lot of calls and was waiting for them to be returned.
In addition to the usual suspects, I was expecting important calls from two different Marks -- Mark Bryan, guitarist with Hootie & the Blowfish whom I've known for 14 years, or Bishop Mark Hollingsworth, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio.
Rinnnggggg!
I scramble for my notes, needing to be ready whoever is at the other end of the line.
Bishop Hollingsworth is leading a 250-mile bike ride across Ohio next week. He is elusive, hard to get on the phone or in person. The Episcopals are caught in a maelstrom of sorts over the ordination of homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions.
The bishop is clearly along the liberal edge of this divide. He's kind of a gentle man and I think he avoids the media because of all the controversy over these issues. But knowing that I was just writing a feel-good story about the bike ride, he was willing to talk.
Rinnnggggg!
Mark Bryan is one of the nicest rock stars you'll ever meet. I met him and the rest of Hootie in October, 1994, when they played a small club in Toledo. Months later, their album "Cracked Rear View" just "blew up" and became a phenomenon, selling 16 million copies.
Mark, Darius, Dean and Soni kept their heads on straight and I've always enjoyed their company. I even played golf and videogames with them.
Usually I don't do my music interviews during my normal work hours, preferring to schedule them in my off time, but this time I was on a deadline and couldn't be too fussy.
Rinnnggggg!
Hello, David? It's Bishop Mark Hollingsworth...
See the story this Saturday. Mark Bryan called me this morning, it was just like old times. Spoke with him and Darius, looking forward to seeing them in Toledo.
Life in journalism has its drawbacks but one thing for sure, it's never dull.
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Toledo, Ohio
June 26, 2008